


Out of My League

by youweretheanswer



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, M/M, Slow Burn, and if there is going to be smut it'll be top michael so just throwing that out there, he's also cool jock dude but super nice as well, jeremy feels... not worthy, michel is like a grade a nerd/genius, might be side relationships later but i haven't figured it all out yet, ooc mr. heere (imagine greg universe lol), pining Jeremy, post-squip but different backstory, super cool jock michael, they're seniors, this is to satisfy the thing ive had for boarding schools ever since i was super into glee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-19 07:07:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15505017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youweretheanswer/pseuds/youweretheanswer
Summary: Jeremy Heere just wanted to start over. The incident with the SQUIP had ruined his life at Central High School and made him even more of an outcast than before he wasted his money on it. Thanks to his dad's new job in Pennsylvania, they have the money to send him to the prestigious Middle Borough Boarding School, where Jeremy hopes he can have an easy year and graduate without making any waves. Enter Michael Mell, resident jock of Middle Borough, and Jeremy's new roommate. The year might not be as easy as he had hoped.





	1. AUGUST 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this has a different backstory than the actual bmc plot so all your fave characters will be at the boarding school. and i needed another m name to be the fill in for michael so yes his old best friends name is marcus lol. also for a more enjoyable read, i would press the entire fic button or whatever it says bc my first three chapters are hella short

AUGUST 24: Move in day (all-day event)

It was clearly written on every calendar, planner, or agenda he owned. Just one week until he was forced to start completely over again. Jeremy didn’t mind much- it was partially his idea to switch schools- but his dad really took the reigns on the decision after the whole fiasco that happened the year before. Taking the SQUIP got him nowhere; he was just as lame now as he was before that random kid in the bathroom told him about it. After ruining his relationship with every single person at school, including his best friend Marcus, Jeremy decided it was time to start over. Somewhere far away, where no one from Central High School would ever find him. So yeah, maybe it was his idea to switch schools. 

But was it his idea to move to Pennsylvania to start a completely new life? Not really. How about his dad getting a new, high paying job as the CEO of a company in Pittsburgh? Nope. Or the best one of all, going to a private boarding school an hour outside of Pitt because his dad could afford it now? Hell no. According to his dad’s philosophy, “the SQUIP was like a gateway drug and could lead to heavy addiction if Jeremy returned to any public school in any U.S. state.” Because everyone knows that private school kids would NEVER do drugs. Ever. He loved his dad, and he was so grateful that he was willing to sacrifice his life in New Jersey so that Jeremy could feel like himself again. But that didn’t make Jeremy any happier about being whisked away to some preppy school for Midwestern rich kids. 

“Jeremy? Have you started packing yet?” his dad yelled as he made his way up the stairs to Jeremy’s room. 

“Um... kinda?” Jeremy said in return. Mr. Heere got to the end of the hallway and poked his head inside Jeremy’s door. His room was a mess.

“You’d better hurry up, kiddo. Only one week until I get the bachelor pad all to myself!” 

That didn’t make Jeremy feel any more excited. He didn’t want to be all alone without his dad. His dad understood his anxiety. Other people didn’t. After the realization that he would truly be alone for the first time in his life- no dad, no friends, no anything- every emotion he had been holding in since the move hit him like a bus. His stomach dropped and he noticed it was getting difficult to breathe. He was going to have to live with a stranger, talk to people he didn’t know, and try to, well, survive. He thanked God that uniforms were enforced at Middle Borough Boarding School. That way he wouldn’t embarrass himself with his awful sense of fashion. Not like he wouldn’t already be embarrassed by his lack of social skills and general awkwardness. 

“Jeremy? You okay, bud?” His dad snapped him out of his daydream. 

“Yeah, dad, just a little anxious for the move. I’ve never had to start a new life from scratch. I’m so used to having someone to help me through the bad times in life, and I’m worried that I won’t be able to find any friends there. I mean, you were my rock during the whole SQUIP thing! Everyone else left but you stayed by my side the whole time. I guess... I’m just scared.” Mr. Heere noticed Jeremy’s state of distress and knelt down next to him. 

“Hey, I know you’re scared. But this is nothing we can’t handle. You went to Hell and back last year and you came out of it wiser than ever. I believe in you, son. I’ll always be a phone call away.” 

“I love you dad,” Jeremy replied as his dad pulled him in for a hug. 

“I love you too, Jeremy. Now, what sounds good for dinner this week? I’m not sure how the food is at Middle Borough, but I am 100% sure that nothing can beat your old man’s cooking.”

“If by cooking you mean microwaving,” Jeremy said sarcastically. His dad laughed in agreement. 

“Well, tonight I’m making my famous, gourmet, New York style hotdogs! I hope you’re ready!” Mr. Heere replies as he left Jeremy’s room and bounded down the stairs to start making dinner. Jeremy laughed to himself and though about his dad’s advice. Maybe he was right. Maybe Jeremy could handle being alone. For good measure, he went into his calendar app and changed the name of the event:

AUGUST 24: Move in day!!!! (all-day event)

August 24 could kiss his ass.


	2. A Fairytale Beginning

If someone had told Jeremy a year before that he would be going to school in a castle his senior year, he would have laughed in their face. Okay. Maybe castle was an overstatement. But the three story, intricately decorated building before him was like something out of a fairytale. Bright green ivy danced up the walls and trees with shiny red apples lined the winding driveway. Huge double doors were at the end of the path, and a large stained glass window was centered above it. As his dad’s car approached the parking lot next to the school, Jeremy was filled with a mix of excitement and dread. He didn’t like that feeling. Their car pulled into a spot, and Mr. Heere put it in park. 

“You ready?” his dad asked. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

As they walked towards the building, his dad put his hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. He was going to miss his reassurement once he left to go back to Pittsburgh. Deep breaths, Jeremy reminded himself. He stood in front of the door. Well, now or never. Jeremy rang the bell and waited for the doors to be unlocked. 

“May I help you?” a voice asked the pair. 

“I-I’m... um... uh,” Jeremy stuttered. Fuck. 

“Hi, my son is a new student this year? We were told to come a few weeks before the students arrive so we could file our papers and get to know the campus.” Thank God for his dad. Jeremy honestly wouldn’t survive without him. 

“Oh! Of course. What’s the name?” 

“Jeremy Heere,” Jeremy replied. 

“I’ll buzz you in and you can wait in the lobby until the headmistress is ready for you two.” The lobby? The school kept getting fancier by the second. 

“Thanks!” Mr. Heere exclaimed. The lock clicked, and they were greeted by a lobby straight out of a nice hotel. They sat for a few minutes on a plush red couch until the headmistress’ heels could be heard clicking down the hallway. 

“Jeremiah Heere?” she asked. 

“That’s me!” Jeremy stood up all too quickly and hit his knee on the coffee table, almost knocking over a Tiffany-esque glass lamp and catching it just in time. Headmistress Collins smiled and made her was over to shake his hand. 

“If you could follow me to my office, that would be wonderful.” Jeremy and his dad stood to follow her down the hallway. It was lined with portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses, benefactors, and excelsior students, some dating back to the late eighteenth century. 

“So,” she started, taking a seat at her desk, “do you feel ready for your final year of high school?” Ms. Collins seemed nice enough, but Jeremy was never too trusting of anyone’s intentions. 

“Yeah, I am. If I’m being completely honest, I’m just ready to graduate and go to college.” She laughed at that statement, which made Jeremy feel more at ease. 

“You sound just like every other senior here! I think you’ll fit in perfectly. Now, there are a few things to take care of before we can move on to the tour of campus...” Jeremy zoned out as she babbled on about paperwork and forms. He hoped his dad was paying attention. 

“One more thing!” Her exclamation caught his attention. “I have called in your roommate early as well so that you two can become more comfortable before the first day tomorrow. I mean, you will be living together for a year! He will accompany us on the tour as well. I carefully selected one of our brightest, kindest students, and I am sure you two will get along swimmingly. I’ll go check to see if he’s here.” Ms. Collins swiftly left the room to go fetch his mysterious roommate. After she left, Jeremy’s dad started talking a mile a minute. 

“She is so nice! Jer, I really feel confident about sending you here. I mean, their average GPA is a 3.8, and every student scores at least a 28 on the ACT.” It hit Jeremy that he was going to meet his roommate in the next ten minutes. “Not to mention they have amazing extracurriculars, especially their theatre program. They did that spelling bee show you like last year!” What if he didn’t like Jeremy? What if he was a dick? Or even worse, what if he brought girls into their room every night and kicked Jeremy out? Gross. “I mean, how many high schools do actual good theatre like that! And as talented as you are... Jeremy? Are you even listening?”

“Yeah! I mean... no, I’m sorry, dad. I’m freaking out a little. I wish she’d given me warning in that email that I’d be meeting him today. I would have worn something less nerdy.” He glanced down at his Star Wars t-shirt and sighed. 

“Look, kiddo, you’re gonna be fine. She said he was one of the kindest students here! And who wouldn’t love you? You are so caring and-“ Mr. Heere was cut off by the opening of the door. 

“Jeremy, meet your roommate, Michael Mell!”

Well, fuck. Jeremy hasn’t thought about the possibility that his roommate might be hot. Before him stood the most beautiful boy he had ever seen. He had tan skin, black hair styled into a quiff, and black-rimmed glasses. Michael wore black jeans, a short sleeve patterned button-up, and white sneakers. Not to mention his giant muscles. Jeremy felt more insecure than ever. His noodle arms, nerd shirt, and too tight jeans with Converse in no way compared to the beauty of Michael Mell. 

“Hey Jeremy!” Michael greeted him with a smile and waved. Jeremy couldn’t believe his luck. Cute AND nice? Holy shit. 

“H-hey!” Jeremy half-heartedly waved back, trying not to seem too excited. He didn’t want to scare Michael off. 

“So Michael and I were talking in the hall, and we thought it would be a great idea for Michael to give you a one-on-one tour of campus! He’s been here for almost four years, so I’d say he knows his way around pretty well. What do you think?” Jeremy just nodded in reply like an idiot. 

“Wonderful! Mr. Heere, we can go through this paperwork while they look around. Boys, let’s plan to meet in Windsor Hall in say... two hours,” Ms. Collins said. 

“Sounds great,” Michael replied. “Wanna follow me, Jeremy?” 

“YEAH! I mean... yeah, sure,” Jeremy squeaked out. It was going to be a long school year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooo this is gonna be slow burn bc ya girl can’t write anything simple


	3. “And I’m Your Tour Guide, Michael Mell!”

Jeremy was glad that there was a breeze outside because he had been sweating ever since Michael set foot into that office. They had been to see the dining hall, academic halls, the gym, and a few dorms, and they were en route to the auditorium. 

“So do you do theatre?” Michael asked. 

“Yeah, I did at my old school. I’m not that great though.”

“That’s still really cool, man. What shows did you do?”

“I was Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream... um, I was also Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors. I did some other stuff but those were my biggest parts, I guess.” Jeremy blushed. He didn’t know how he got such big roles the past year. It probably had something to do with the SQUIP, but he didn’t really want to think about that now. Not while he was here with a gorgeous boy who knew nothing about his awful past. 

“That’s pretty dope. I don’t know a lot about theatre; I’m more of a sports guy.” Damn. Jeremy, the least athletic person on the planet, was rooming with a jock. A hot jock. A probably popular hot jock. 

“What sports do you play?” Jeremy inquired. 

“I do a little bit of everything. I do lacrosse in the Fall, basketball in the Winter, and track in the Spring.” Jeremy remembered his time doing track his Freshman year. He ran the mile and hated every second of it. But that’s something they could relate on, so he decided to bring it up. 

“Oh cool! I used to do track my Freshman year. So what events do you run?”

“I don’t really run, I do discus and shot put. Not super fast, but I do have muscles from lacrosse and stuff.” Shit. They practically had nothing in common. “I meant to tell you I liked your shirt! I’m kinda a movie and video game geek.” Michael pointed to the pattern on his shirt. He looked closer and realized the pattern was little icons of different Hogwarts houses. Maybe they did have something in common after all. 

“Oh my gosh! I love Harry Potter! What’s your house?” Jeremy asked Michael. 

“I consider myself to be a Gryffindor. I’ve been pretty brave in the past and I always stand up for my friends. What about you?”

“I’m a Ravenclaw. Kind of a nerd but also creative and all.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being nerdy!” Michael laughed. Jeremy just smiled stupidly back. He couldn’t believe that out of every student at his new school, he got put with maybe the kindest, smartest, and most athletic person he had met to that day. Not to mention he was a huge nerd- an added bonus. 

Jeremy noticed they had finally made it across campus to their auditorium. Calling it gorgeous would be an understatement. Everything on campus was beautiful, but the charm that the theater gave was different from any other building. Its architecture reminded him of the theaters he had seen in New York City when his dad took him there the summer before the incident. 

“Wow,” Jeremy said, jaw dropped. 

“Wow indeed!” Michael replied. “This year we’re putting on a production of this show about small women or something. Have you heard of it?”

“Um... Little Women?” Jeremy giggled. Michael obviously wasn’t a book nerd. 

“Yeah, that’s it! You should totally audition. We don’t have a ton of guys in theatre here because of all our sports, so you’d definitely get a big role. Besides, Christine would be thrilled that I got a new person to try out for the musicals.” Michael laughed at that statement. 

“Who is Christine?” Jeremy questioned. He really hoped Michael didn’t have a girlfriend. 

“Oh, she’s one of my friends here. She’s really big into theatre. Super short though, the only person near her height is Rich. We make fun of him a ton for it. There’s Jake, Chloe, Jenna, Brooke... am I forgetting anyone?” As Michael stood there for a minute, face scrunched up in thought, and counted his friends off on his fingers, Jeremy wondered if Michael’s friends would become his friends as well. It was probably a stupid notion; usually you don’t get along super well with someone you’re living with 24/7 in a small dorm room. He just hoped that for once in his life, he would have more than just himself and his dad. 

“Yeah, I think that’s it... Oh shit! It’s been two hours. We need to go to Windsor stat before Ms. Collins murders me. I’ll lead the way,” Michael said with a smirk. Jeremy just sighed as his heart melted. He tried to keep up with Michael’s long stride. He had to be at least 4 inches taller than Jeremy. Jeremy didn’t want to think about how nice it would be if they cuddled because Michael could be the big spoon and wrap his huge, muscled arms around him and he would feel so safe and warm and-

“Here we are!” Michael announced. Their dorm was one of the smaller ones he’d seen on campus that day. “This is specifically for seniors. It’s the nicest dorm, and everyone hopes they get in it. You lucked out, Mr. First Year.” Michael winked at him. Jeremy felt a blush creep down his neck. 

They made their way up the stairs to the top floor, and down the hall to their room, 327. It wasn’t huge, but it certainly was the nicest he’d seen. Two bunk beds, desks, bookshelves, and dressers were provided by the school in addition to two closets built into the wall. There were three windows, and he noticed the room was east-facing, meaning they’d get a perfect view of the sunrise in the morning. The ceiling was really high, perfect for lofting his bed, and Jeremy began to think of all the ways he could design the room when he was interrupted by the entrance of his dad and Ms. Collins. 

“And here we are! Michael and Jeremy’s room,” Ms. Collins said. 

“This is nice, Jeremy! Much bigger than my college dorm, but I won’t bore you with that kind of talk.” Thank God, he really didn’t want his dad to embarrass him in front of his hot roommate. “Not to rush you, kiddo, but I’ve got some paperwork to do before work tomorrow and we do live an hour away.” Jeremy checked his phone- it was already 5:00 p.m.!

“Yeah, that’s okay dad. I’ve gotta keep packing anyways. It was really nice to meet you Michael!” He hoped he didn’t sound too desperate. 

“You too, Jeremy. Hey, I was wondering if I could have your number?” FUCK. Mission abort. He had never been hit on before, he didn’t know what to say, what to do, what to- “You know, so we can talk about dorm stuff and get to know each other before school starts.” Well, duh. That’s why he wanted Jeremy’s number. Maybe Jeremy needed to stop jumping to conclusions, no matter how happy they would make him. 

“Y-yeah! I’ll type it in your phone.” Michael handed him his iPhone X so he could put in his contact information. Jeremy added rich to his ever growing list of things to describe Michael. 

“Awesome. Well, I guess I’ll see you August 24!” Michael told him. 

“Can’t wait!” Jeremy replied. He really couldn’t wait. He’d never been so excited for something in his whole life. 

“Have a safe drive, you two,” Ms. Collins said. His dad and he made their way back to the main building where they had parked. The whole walk was silent. Once they got in, his dad asked one question only. 

“So... you think you’re gonna like it here?”

Jeremy laughed. 

“Yes, dad. I think I’m gonna love it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you think i based this off my college dorm,,, you’d be entirely correct LOL even down to the room number and number of windows


	4. Movin’ Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey uhhhh i just found a one shot that was longer than all 3 of my first chapters soooo i think i’m gonna try to write longer chunks. it may take longer to update but shrugs. hopefully this one is longer my guys

Jeremy didn’t want to sound like a loser, but the new highlight of his summer was going back to school and he was beyond thrilled that August 24 finally came around. His dad packed up the car, made them some breakfast, and hurried Jeremy out the door to start the drive  
to Middle Borough, PA. Jeremy felt his phone vibrate in his pocket about thirty minutes into the drive. 

iMessage from (528) 739-2735  
Hey Jeremy! It’s Michael, your  
roommate

He had totally forgotten that he gave Michael his number the day he visited campus. He had kind of expected Michael to text him before the day they moved in together, but Michael probably had been busy or something. He put Michael’s number into his contacts and thought of a reply. 

iMessage to Michael  
hey! what’s up?

God, he sounded like a sixth grader. “Hey!1! Wuts up? Let’s play twenty questions xD !!” Hopefully Michael didn’t find him boring. Jeremy frankly sucked at small talk, whether it be through text or in real life. His social anxiety made him over analyze every word he said, which gave him even more anxiety. It was easier just to keep to himself at Central, but he really wanted to push himself out of his shell at Middle Borough. He wanted to know how make real friendships before he was thrust into the world of college. 

iMessage from Michael  
We just got to the dorm. Are you on  
your way?

Jeremy had hoped that Michael wanted to have a conversation with him- it would have made the drive a lot less boring- but of course he just wanted to know why the Heeres were running almost an hour late. Jeremy really wanted Michael to like being his roommate, not just because he was the most attractive boy he’d ever seen, but also because he needed friends badly. Besides, Michael probably wasn’t even gay. Also, Jeremy knew nothing about him other than that he was hot and a jock and a bit of a nerd. And the nicest person Jeremy had ever met. He sighed and typed out a response. 

iMessage to Michael  
yeah we’re like 45 minutes away.  
don’t get too excited with the  
decorating before i get there! haha

Ugh. He was so lame. Michael replied immediately. 

iMessage from Michael  
Sweet. I’ll unpack my stuff now so  
that I can help when you get here.  
See you soon!

iMessage to Michael  
yeah see you then!

Jeremy locked his phone and pulled his knees into his chest, looking out the window at the passing trees and signs. He let his eyes close briefly, and slowly dozed off while thinking about the new year ahead of him. 

———————

Jeremy woke with a start in an unfamiliar place. He heard laughter from outside the door in the room he was sleeping in. No one else was in the room with him thankfully, so he got up from the bed and approached the door. He opened it, poked his head out, and heard radio silence. There was a group of people out in the hallway, all just staring at him, not saying a word. 

“H-hey guys?” he asked confusedly. 

He noticed two of the girls turn towards each other and start whispering. One girl rolled her eyes, another got her phone out and “sneakily” took a picture of him. Two guys burst out into laughter, and the other boy- Michael??

“Michael? What’s going on?” Jeremy asked. 

“Why are you talking to me, loser?” Michael retorted. 

Jeremy felt that like a punch to the gut. He suddenly realized he was at Middle Borough, and that his peers thought was a freak, just like they did at Central. His heart started pounding, he stomach dropped, and he started to sweat. They all just kept staring at him, gossiping, laughing, and making fun of him. He did what he normally did in situations like that, and started running. To where, he didn’t know, but he knew he needed to get away from them. Their laughs echoed in his ears as he ran down the hall, down three flights of stairs, and outside. Outside wasn’t any safer. People walking on the sidewalks were pointing at him, glaring, and whispering. Jeremy started hyperventilating and decided he would-

———————

Jeremy woke with a start. Again. This time in the safety of his car, with his dad. His anxiety and distorted thinking were really getting the worst of him. He looked at the clock. 9:54. It was 9:12 when he last looked, which meant they must be close. His dad got off on the next exit, drove down the road a bit, and pulled into Middle Borough, driving straight to Jeremy’s dorm. 

“Well, we’re here, kid. Why don’t you text Michael and let him know?” his dad said. 

He remembered dream Michael and how he treated Jeremy, but then thought about real-life Michael and how sweet he had been to Jeremy, even though he’d only known him for two weeks. He took out his phone and started typing. 

iMessage to Michael  
hey! we’re here :-)

Michael’s typing bubble popped up, and he replied immediately. 

iMessage from Michael  
Awesome, I’ll be right there

Jeremy waited eagerly to see him again. He saw the door open, and out filed Michael and two older women. Maybe his mom and his aunt? Michael waved at him, and the three made their way over to Mr. Heere’s car. 

“Hey Jeremy! Long time no see,” Michael teased. 

“Hey Michael!” Jeremy exclaimed. He was so glad to see him. It was embarrassing to say he missed someone he’d only seen in person for less than 5 hours, but Michael’s warm personality was comforting to Jeremy. 

The two women walked over to where Michael, Jeremy, and Mr. Heere were huddled. One looked just like Michael; tan skin, long black curly hair, and extremely tall. The other, a bit shorter, had short light brown hair and pale skin. 

“Hi! It’s so nice to finally meet you. Michael has been talking about you non-stop since he gave you your campus tour,” the taller one said with a smile. Michael blushed and looked the opposite direction. Interesting, Jeremy thought. 

“I’m Michael’s mother, Melissa,” the shorter one said, shaking Jeremy’s hand. 

“And I’m his other mom!” said the taller one. “I’m Serena.” Jeremy couldn’t believe it. He has been so worried about being thought of as a loser at school or being cast out because he was bi, but the most popular kid at school had two moms. He started beaming as he thought about all the things he could say and do that he couldn’t at Central. He could come out in his own time without being outed like he was at his old school. He could date boys and not be worried about judgement. He could put his pride pin on his backpack. If Michael had two moms and people accepted him as cool, then Jeremy could fit right in with his friends. 

“It’s nice to meet you too!” Jeremy replied, still smiling from ear to ear. 

“Not to rush you or anything, bud, but I’ve gotta be at work in a few hours. Let’s get you unpacked, yeah?” His dad reminded him of the real reason they were congregating in the middle of a parking lot. 

“Sorry, dad,” Jeremy apologized. He made his way over to the car and opened the trunk, grabbing a set of sheets in each arm. He turned around to start walking to the door, and bumped straight into Michael, who had apparently been standing right behind him the whole time. 

“I’m so sorry!” Jeremy exclaimed. 

“You’re fine, Jeremy,” Michael said with a laugh. Jeremy blushed. He loved the way Michael said his name. He watched as Michael grabbed the heaviest tub in one arm and a bag full of his clothes in the other. Jeremy gasped out loud. Did he have a thing for strong guys? Apparently. He walked with Michael to the door and held it open for him.

“Thanks,” Michael said with a nod. 

“You’re making me feel like a weakling,” Jeremy said. Michael laughed at that statement. 

“I just do a lot of sports! And I’m sure you’re better at a lot of things than I am. Like organization. And theatre! I can’t sing at all.” 

“I’m sure you could if I helped you!” They had climbed the stairs to the third floor and walked down the long hallway to their dorm. All the doors were open, and Jeremy saw pairs of boys his age in every room, moving their furniture or unpacking boxes. Every now and then, Jeremy would hear someone yell out a, “Sup, Mell!” or a, “Michael’s here!”, to which Michael just nodded or replied with a, “Hey!”. He couldn’t really wave because his arms were full of Jeremy’s crap. Now Jeremy felt kind of bad that Michael had to lug his stuff up three flights of stairs and that he wasn’t there to help with Michael’s stuff. 

“I’m sorry we were late and couldn’t help you with your stuff,” he blurted out. 

“No need to apologize,” Michael said comfortingly. “Besides, I didn’t need much help anyways. My moms are pretty strong and so am I. Only took us about 10 minutes.”

They reached their room and Jeremy was glad to see Michael’s things already in place. He liked a tidy room, and if they had both been trying to set up at the same time, it would have been mass chaos. 

After several more rounds back to the car and to the third floor, and several more times of Jeremy feeling like a weak noodle, the five had finally finished bringing Jeremy’s stuff up to his room. They unpacked everything from the bins and boxes, carried the empty containers to Mr. Heere’s car, and made their way back up to the room. After a few minutes of reorganizing, Mr. Heere tapped Jeremy on the shoulder. 

“I’ve gotta go to work now, kid.” Jeremy stood up and his dad wrapped him in a bear hug, which made him start to tear up. He was really going to miss his dad. “I know it seems like I’m a long way away, but it’s only an hour drive. Please call me if you need anything. I’ll always be here for you.” 

“I promise I will, dad.” After the two pulled apart, Mr. Heere waved goodbye to the Mells and headed out the door. The next few moments were spent in awkward silence as Jeremy tried to think of things to talk about with the three almost strangers that occupied the room. 

Luckily, Serena broke the silence. “So tell us about yourself!” she exclaimed in a almost-too-loud voice. 

“Um... well, I live in Pittsburgh with my dad, I did theatre at my old school, I like video games and reading...” I transferred because I was an asshole and all my friends hated me... Jeremy hadn’t realized boring he was until he was asked to talk about himself, which didn’t happen often. 

“Michael loves video games too! Though he doesn’t like to show it, he doesn’t want to impose on his coolness,” Melissa playfully punched Michael on the shoulder and he laughed. “We’d better get going. Serena’s got to head into work later and I’m supposed to catch a flight for a business trip tomorrow morning. Love you, Micah,” She ruffled Michael’s hair and headed towards the door. Serena gave him a kiss on the forehead and joined her wife. 

“Goodbye, Micah! Love you!” Serena said as they left. 

“Bye moms, love you too,” Michael replied. Once they left, Michael turned towards Jeremy with a grin. “Want me to help you get set up?” 

“Yeah, that would be great.” Jeremy didn’t have a ton, but the help was appreciated. It took about half an hour for them to disassemble the bunk bed so both the beds could be on the ground, and another hour to put away all of Jeremy’s clothes, assemble his storage unit, and get his bed set up. After working hard for an hour and a half, they flopped down onto their beds, exhausted from the “manual labor,” as Jeremy called it. They laid in their beds peacefully for a few minutes. Until their peace was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. 

“Michael!! I KNOW you’re in there!” a loud voice yelled behind the door. Oh no, Jeremy’s worst fear: people. 

“God, I’m so sorry, it’s just my friend Rich. Is it okay if he comes in?” Michael asked. 

“Yeah, totally fine!” Jeremy was going to have to meet Michael’s friends sooner or later. Michael got up to go open the door, and in tumbled not one, but two people. 

“Mikey!” the shorter one yelled, bringing Michael into a bro hug. The taller one had dark skin and looked like the epitome of cool. Jeremy assumed the shorter one was Rich because it was his piercing voice that startled them a few moments ago. “Dude, who’s your roommate?” Rich asked Michael. 

“Rich, Jake, meet Jeremy!” Jeremy awkwardly waved from his bed. Then a thought crossed his mind. Did he want to be known as the shy kid who only spoke to Michael? Definitely not. In a moment of bravery, he got up off his bed and walked over to join the four. 

“Hey man!” Jake said. Maybe he wasn’t as intimidating as he looked. 

“Sup,” Rich added. Rich had to be 5’5”, which wasn’t much shorter than Jeremy’s 5’8”, but for some reason he looked teensy compared to the two 6 foot tall boys in the room. “Do you guys wanna come to lunch with us? Christine is apparently dying to tell us all about her time at summer theatre camp. Maybe she found someone there. Then she wouldn’t be the only single person in our group. Well, other than you, Micah.”

“Don’t rub it in, Rich, there’s not many options here.” Michael sighed. Jeremy smiled. His chances were looking brighter with every piece of information he learned. “Is that okay with you, Jeremy?”

“Yeah, totally cool.” He hoped that didn’t sound lame. 

“Sweet! Oh, Michael, I’ve gotta tell you all about our vacation to Jake’s parents’ beach house in Miami. Let’s just say it was a wild weekend.” 

“Dude, I really don’t need to hear the details.” Jeremy wondered what that was supposed to mean. Jake changed the subject quickly and the three began to talk about the new recruits for the lacrosse team. Jeremy tuned it out because he had nothing to contribute to the conversation. They reached the dining commons, and thankfully the boring conversation about lacrosse finally ended. Jeremy scanned his ID card that he received on his visit and the others followed suit. They had not been past the register for two seconds when a loud “MICHAEL!!” was yelled across the room, coming from a tiny Asian girl surrounded by three other girls. Michael waved in response. 

“That’s Christine,” Michael informed him. “I think you’ll like her.” He winked at Jeremy, making his heart melt. Rich and Jake started to race their way to the table and Michael walked at a slow pace. He turned around when he noticed Jeremy wasn’t following him. “You coming?” Michael asked. 

Jeremy took a deep breath, braced himself, smiled, and nodded. He caught up to Michael and he prepared himself to meet the peers he’d be spending his entire Senior year with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter we’ll meet the rest of the kiddos!! don’t know when it’ll be out bc i’m working a lot this week but i’ll try.


End file.
